Amphibious vessel.



W. T. TAYLOR.

AMPHIBIOUS VESSEL. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 19l5.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET la WTTHYLOR w. T. TAYLOR.

AMPHIBIOUS VESSEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1915.

1,161,267. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2. 44

e I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. TAYLOR, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

AMPHIIBIOUS VESSEL.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. TAYLOR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at vide a vessel of this character which is capable of traveling on the land or water with equal facility and at high speed. The invention has for another object to produce a'boat or vessel which is simple in its construction, as well as strong and durable, and may be operated with a minimum expenditure of power.

The invention has for an additional object to produce a vessel construction, the body of which is comparatively light in weight, two endless traveling series of paddles mounted within the body to propel the same, and means for operating the two series of paddles either in unison or inde-.

pendently of each other.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of a vessel constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view with the body of the vessel shown in section. 'Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an end elevation; Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of one of the endless propellers, and Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of oneof the guide wheels.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the body or shell of the vessel, which includes upper and lower side wall sections 6 and 7, respectively, and the top wall 8 which connects said upper side wall sections. It will be noted, from reference to Fig. 1, that the upper sections 6 constitute the major portion of the sides of the vessel and the top wall 8 has its -opposite ends rounded or curved, asat 9. The lower marginal edges of the ends and sides of this top section of the shellare reinforced by the heavy metal band 10. The lower side wall sections 7 are I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application fil ed March 15, 1915. Serial No. 14,516.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

upwardlyeurved at their opposite ends, and the OPPOSItB ends of these wall sections are equldlstantly spaced from the opposite ends of the reinforcing band 10. The inner body portion of the vessel consists of the longitudinally extending spaced inner walls 11, the upper edges of which are centrally connected bya vertically extendingcylindrical shell 12 which projects upwardly through an opening provided in the top wall 8 of the vessel, and is rigidly'connected thereto and braced by the annular reinforcing ring 13.

From the upper edges of the walls 11, the horizontally disposed plates 14 extend laterally and are suitably secured at their outer edges to the upper side wall sections 6 of the vessel body. Adjacent to its opposite edges, each of these horizontal walls is pro vided with a depressed channel 15, for a purpose to be later referred to.

16 designates the lower longitudinally ex- I tending walls of the vessel body, the opposite edges of which are angularly formed, as at 17, and secured to the lower side wall sections 7. In the side wall sections 7 of the vessel body and the opposed parallel portions of the metal plates 16, the axles 19 of a series of rollers l8 are rotatably engaged. Each of the rollers preferably consists simply of a rim which is connected to its axle by a series of convolute le'af springs 20 which permit of a yielding movement of the wheel rim in a radial direction with respect to its axis. It will be observed that the rim of each wheel or roller 18 normally extends a considerable distance below the horizontal wall 16.

To the inner sides of the plates 11, the longitudinally extending reinforcing bars 20 are secured, said bars extending beyond the ends of the lates 11 and being fixed to ing floor plate 21 is fixed, said plate, at a point intermediate of its ends and substantially midway of the length of the vessel, being downwardly inclined as at 22, and adjacent to the end of the vessel being again upwardly curved and extended in a horizontal plane and secured to the reinforcing bar 10, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1- of the drawings. This plate 21 constitutes the floor of a room or compartment in the upper portion of the vessel body which extends the entire length thereof.

In the forward end of the vessel body, a pair of transversely disposed shafts 23 are cated at 29.

journaled' at their ends in the respective longitudinal bars andthe reinforcing bar 10, and upon each hexagonal drum 24 is secured. In the opposite or rear end of the body of the vessel,

a single transversely disposed shaft 25 is of the rims 27 clutch members are adapted to engage, engaged upon the outer face of' the rim. The clutch levers 29 are connected in any suitable manner to the steering gear whereby the vessel is guided or directed. The intermediate portion of the shaft 25 extends through a casing or housing 30, in which a bevel gear 31, fixed upon said shaft, is disosed. One end of the drive shaft 32, which extends from. the engine mounted in the body of the vessel, is journaled in this casing and provided with a bevel pinion 33 to mesh with the gear 31, whereby the shaft 25 is driven,

1 I employ two endless propellers for propelling the vessel either through the water or upon land, and each of these propellers con sists of a multiplicity of steel plates 34 body,

which are-hingedly connected to each other,

as at 35. These plates, at their longitudinal edges and upon one side, are provided with metal reinforcing strips 36 upon which the series of lugs 37 are integrally formed.

38 designates the propelling blades or paddles which are secured to the opposite sides of the plates 34 and preferably adjacent to the hinge connections 35, said blades being braced by means of the obliquely disposed struts 391 whichare fixed to said blades and to the plates 34' upon which said blades are arranged. It will be noted that the plates 11 are comparatively short and upon the upper surfaces ofthe horizontal plates 14, which are secured to the upper edges of the plates 11, the long tudinally extending guide rails 40 are secured, the ex-.

tremities of said guide rails projectingbeyond the ends of the wall 14 and being downwardly curved, as shown in Fig. 1. fixed to the under side of the top wall 8 of the vessel above each of thelhorizontal walls 14 and intermediate of the above mentioned longitudinal rails 40. The guide rails 41 are provided for the purpose of receiving the impact of the propeller blades and guidof these shafts, an.

while a friction brake band is when the plates 'mounted which may be members in land travel.-

- ing the propellers, when, owing to the mo which the small guide rollers 43 are mountedbeyondthe opposite ends of the series of rollers 18.

One of' the endless series of propeller blades 38 is mounted upon the drums 24 and 28 on each side of the center of the vessel, and when the engine is set in operation,

these endless propellers are driven inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that the lugs 01' ears 37 of the propellers project upwardly between the fianges'of the rollers 18and the lower edges of the longitudinal plates 7 and '11 of the vessel body, so as to effectually overcome all tendency of the propellers to shift transversely with respect to the guide rollers. The yieldably mounted guide rollers also prevent contact of the propellers with the bottom walls16 and thus obviate liability of R the endless propellers being caught and held by an obstruction or projection. The end rollers 43 further act to limit the relativemovement of the propeller plates 34 upon upward pressure against the same and direct said plates into contact with the guides 42 on the bottom walls 16, said rollers pre--- venting the plates 20f the propeller from. catching upon the 'edges of the plates 16' 34. are forced against "the same. After the propellers pass upwardly and over the rear drums 28, they are receivedupon the upper longitudinal guide rails 40, the ears 37 of the propellers extending into the longitudinal grooves or channels 15 formed'in the opposite edges of the plates14. Upon the upwardly projecting shell 12 which extends through the top 8 of the v'esv sel body, a revolving turret 44 is suitably 11 equipped with ordnance indicated at 45. The upper portion of the vessel body is provided with openings in its side walls for the projection of guns, indicated at 46,'through thesame. This 111 upper portion of the body of the vessel is "central longitudinally extending room or chamber. 12 From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced a very simply constructed and durable vessel which may be advantageously employedin 12 times of war, in minor operations. The vessel can travel upon land as well as the water, the propeller blades 18 serving as traction The vessel may be readily steered by the operator, simply by 11 releasing one or the other of the clutches controlling the operation of the respective propellers so that the vessel will be driven by only one propeller and thereby caused to turn or travel on a curved path.

I have above set forth the essential structural features of my invention; but it is obvious that, in the practical development of the same, it may be necessary to provide reinforcmg or strengthening braces in numerous parts of the vessel constructlon. I,

therefore, reserve the privilege of providingsuch additional parts as may be necessary in W w orderthatthevessel may efficiently perform 15.

its functions and to resort to all other legitimate modifications in the form, proportion, and arrangement of the several elements' as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A vessel including a body having outer longitudinal side walls and relatively short inner spaced longitudinal walls, drums mounted in opposite endsof the body between the opposed inner and outer walls,

1 endless articulated propellers engaged upon said drums,-. guide rails for the .upper stretches of the propellers, vertically yieldable members engaging the lower stretches of the propellers to prevent relative vertical movement of the propeller sections, and means for driving said propellers.

2. A vessel including a body having outer longitudinal side walls and inner longitudinally extending spaced walls, drums mounted between said inner and outer walls at opposite ends of the vessel, endless articulated propellers engaged upon the corresponding drums, guide rails for the upper stretches of the propellers, horizontal walls arranged between the inner and outer longi-.

tudinal walls of the vessel body and having vertically offset portions, and means yieldably mounted between the longitudinal walls and the vertical portions of said horizontal walls to engage upon the lower stretches of the propeller and yieldably prevent relative movement of the propeller sections.

3. A vessel including a body having longitudinally' extending outer side walls and" relatively short inner longitudinal walls spaced from each other, a metal reinforcing band extending around the vessel body, longitudinally disposed bar's secured upon the opposed faces of said inner walls and connected to the opposite ends of said reinforcing band, drums supported by said bars and the reinforcing band at its opposite ends, endless articulated propellers arranged upon the corresponding drums, guides for the 

